Casey's Stock Rises After Favorable Report

Casey's General Stores Inc, the Midwest convenience store chain, gained in U.S. trading Thursday after second quarter profit topped analysts' estimates amid higher gasoline profit margins. Casey's rose 41 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $28.86 a share in Nasdaq trading, after earlier touching $30, the highest value since at least l984. Second quarter profit from continuing operations rose 61 percent to $27.7 million, or 55 cents a share, from $17.2 million, or 34 cents, in the year earlier quarter, the Ankeny, IA based company said late Wednesday.